Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-01-21

painful confinement in stockades, n party OF
settlers engaged in boiling salt on Salt Creek,
in Muskingum County, were visited one day by
an Indian known us Silverhecls who lived in
that vicinity and was thought to be a
good Indian" He had been drinking freely
when he came to the camp OF the salt-makcrs,
and his speech began TO flow with great deal
of fiucncy lie grew boastful, and began to tell
of his brave deeds in the late war with tho
whites. The men, for most part, paid little at
tention TO his gabble, but there was one of
them who caught some significant utterances
In the story that the Indian was relating. The
tale that he was telling by indrection was OF
the murder OF an old man who was looking for
cattle, and the person who gave heed to his
words was Ezra Sherman whose father had
been murdered. The details OF SilverheeIs
story corresponded with the circumstances at
tending the elder Sherman's death. and the son,
as he heard the brutal Indian describe the event
step by step, grew wild with rage because he
was convinced that he was listen
ing TO his fathers assassin. Dut he
was just man, and refrained from hasty Tio'
lence. However, he determined to find out
whether the Indian was guilty, and he listened
and encouraged him to talk. The Indian finally
said that the old man whom he killed was
gathering May-apples, and he remarked upon
the peculiar formation OF his victims head
which had double crown, and had enabled the
slayer TO get an unusually large scalp, and in
finishing his story he SAID that the rifle of the
murdered man had been placed in the trunk OF q
hollow tree near the scene OF the tragedy.
Young Sherman at once went to the spot where
his father had fallen and after q short search
found his parents rifle in the hollow OF tree
near by, where it had been placed four years
before by the assassin.
The finding OF the gun rs the sequel to the In
dams tale convinced young Sherman that he
had discovered the murderer OF his father, and
he was called upon TO avenge it.
Two days later q party OF hunters who were
returning TO their homes in the evening saw the
body OF man at the edge of forest, lying half
in the soft shadow and half in the ghostly moon
| light. 1t was Silyerheels with u rifle bullet
| through his heart.
Indians were not the only source OF danger to
| the pioneers. They had 10 contend with floods,
and with well nigh fatal scarcity of food at
| times, and at other times smallpox made the
dreadful ravages among them that it SO often
| does in q new country.
The famine of 1870 nearly destroyed the set
| tlement. 1t was rs late as June OF the previous
| year when they got their corn planted, and
| cold weather came very early, so that the grain
was frozen before 1t had had an opportunity TO
| ripen, but IL was gathered and put away, Tor IT
was supposed that when IL was well dried
1t would be good to eat. Experience proved
| that IL was wholly unfit for consumption by
| either man or beast, rs every one who partook
| of meal made from II became violently i'll at
once. So corn rose in price from fifty cents TO
two dollars a bushel, and could scarcely be had
at all. The settlers were in desperate circum-
stances. There was n dearth OF game at the
same time. The river furnished small guam
tity of fish, so by that means the poorer families
were saved from absolute starvation. Many eX-
| pedicnts were resorted to. Nettle tops and the
| tender shoots OF the pigeon-berry were boiled
with little salt and meal, and eaten by many
persons. Potato tops were eaten in the Same
| way, and so the season OF want and distress was
| bravcly met and overcome by these gallant old
| soldiers OF the revolution and their families.
| After the famine came the Indian wars, OF
which we have spoken, and after the Indian
wars came great floods, and in 1872 another war
with Great Britain. No body OF men and women
had ever to encounter greater hardships and
dangers in their efforts 10 plant new State or
colony than did our forefathers who founded
| Ohio.
The biographies OF the distinguished men who
came to Ohio prior TO the beginning OF this cen
tury, would fill large and closely printed vol
ume- have space only to mention one OF the